This invention relates generally to equipment for transporting children, and more particularly, to an apparatus which can serve as a vehicle seat for a child, and alternatively as a stroller.
Major campaigns are being waged by lawmakers, insurance companies, and safety conscious groups toward the end of educating motorists of the need for the use of equipment specially designed for transporting children in motor vehicles. Most jurisdictions now mandate that small children must be provided with a vehicle seat which will restrain the child in the event of a collision. This need to provide a child vehicle seat has required parents to carry in their vehicles two relatively bulky items, to wit: a child vehicle seat for use during operation of the vehicle, and a stroller or carriage for use at the destination.
This problem has been addressed by providing devices which function as both, child vehicle seats and strollers on wheels. However, it is a problem with known combination devices that, while the devices are in the vehicle seat mode, they rest on tubular or other frame members which can damage the upholstery of the vehicle. Additionally, in most tubular-framed car seat/stroller devices the stroller wheels, which have been rolled on the ground during use of the device as a stroller, are permitted to come into contact with the upholstery of the vehicle. Thus, such known devices will soil the vehicle's upholstery, and possibly damage same.
One prior art apparatus which avoids all contact by the stroller wheels with the upholstery of the vehicle utilizes a base unit which accommodates the stroller apparatus. The base unit is arranged on the seat of the vehicle, and the stroller portion of the apparatus is accommodated therein and secured thereto by operation of a latching mechanism. This known approach suffers from the disadvantage that a portion of the overall apparatus, i.e., the base unit, remains in the vehicle at all times resulting in inconvenience when the apparatus is transferred from vehicle to vehicle.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive vehicle car seat and stroller combination apparatus which does not damage the upholstery of the vehicle in which it is used.
It is another object of this invention to provide a child's stroller which can be used as a vehicle seat without exposing the vehicle's upholstery to dirt and foreign material which has been collected on the wheels of the stroller.
It is additionally an object of this invention to provide a child's stroller which can be used as a vehicle seat without exposing the vehicle's upholstery to damage from levers, shafts, pins, and mechanisms associated with the wheels of the stroller.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an apparatus can easily be converted between stroller and car seat modes of operation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus which is convertible between a car seat and a stroller, and which provides smooth back and bottom surfaces so that it can easily be carried by an individual and supported on the lap of the individual.